Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard
my face. And then he broke out: 'That man,' he spluttered, 'has cast a spell upon both these girls.' As to himself, he had said too much. He must run away now—run away and hide somewhere. He moaned tender exclamations about the girl, and then called her names that cannot be repeated. If he thought she could be made to love him by any means, he would carry her off from the island. Off—into the woods. But it was no good. . . . He strode away, flourishing his arms above his head. Then I noticed an old negro, who had been sitting behind a pile of cases, fishing from the wharf. He wound up his lines and slunk away at once. But he must have heard something, and must have talked, too, because some of the old Garibaldino's railway friends, I suppose, warned him against Ramirez. At any rate, the father has been warned. But Ramirez has disappeared from the town."
"I feel I have a duty towards these girls," said Mrs. Gould, uneasily. "Is Nostromo in Sulaco now?"
"He is, since last Sunday."
"He ought to be spoken to—at once."
"Who will dare speak to him? Even the love-mad Ramirez runs away before the mere shadow of Captain Fidanza."
"I can. I will," Mrs. Gould declared. "A word will be enough for a man like Nostromo."
The doctor smiled sourly.
"He must end this situation which lends itself to—I can't believe it of that child," pursued Mrs. Gould.
"He's very attractive," muttered the doctor, gloomily.
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